Mental Health Warrior: Jane Harris

Jane Harris always has a smile on her face, I swear. But, that makes a lot of sense considering she’s a case manager in our Guardianship Program.

As a case manager, Jane primarily works with adults who have intellectual disabilities and have been declared incapacitated by the court system. She makes sure that each person’s health and safety needs are being met while supporting them in making decisions that take into account their likes and preferences. But, her most important job duty is to make sure that each person is happy.

Jane has a long history of working with people with intellectual disabilities. Before coming to Family Service, she worked at places like Central Virginia Training Center and DePaul Community Resources. Even before her career, she knew firsthand the challenges faced by people with intellectual disabilities.

As a teenager, Jane’s grandmother brought an individual with disabilities into her home. The experience taught Jane a lot.

“Everyone is capable of learning, just on different levels. Not everyone learns the same way either. Some people are visual learners. Some people need to read the material. Some need smaller steps,” she said.

Self-described as adventurous, nurturing, and spontaneous, Jane is also an avid Virginia Tech football and UNC basketball fan. She enjoys spending her time watching those sports with her 16-year-old son and doing as many activities with her family as possible.